CONDUCTION APHASIA

Course overview

CONDUCTION APHASIA IS A RARE FORM OF APHASIA IN WHICH BOTH EXPRESSION AND COMPREHENSION REMAIN INTACT, BUT THE PATIENT SHOWS AN ISOLATED IMPAIRMENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO REPEAT SIMPLE PHRASES. CARL WERNICKE FIRST PROPOSED THAT A DISCONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO SPEECH SYSTEMS, BROCA'S AREA, AND WERNICKE'S AREA, LEADS TO THIS UNIQUE CONDITION. LUDWIG LICHTHEIM AND NORMAN GESCHWIND EXPANDED ON WERNICKE'S WORK, AND THIS MODEL BECAME THE COMMON EXPLANATION FOR CONDUCTION APHASIA. IN THIS MODEL, THERE IS A LESION IN THE ARCUATE FASCICULUS WHICH CONNECTS THE TWO PARA-SYLVIAN SPEECH CENTERS. RECENT STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS AN INCOMPLETE MODEL OF CONDUCTION APHASIA IN THAT LESIONS OUTSIDE OF THE ARCUATE FASCICULUS CAN ALSO LEAD TO THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF THIS PHENOMENON. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN CONDUCTION APHASIA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE IT AND ITS UNDERLYING CAUSE. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.